Is bad weather an extraordinary circumstance?

An extraordinary circumstance is essentially an event causing a delay that's outside of the airline's control and generally unforeseen. The most commonly encountered extraordinary circumstance is bad weather.



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In short, eu261 extraordinary circumstances include:
Political Unrest. Airport Security issues. Natural Disasters. Adverse weather conditions.

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Crosswinds greater than 50-60 km/h may cause airlines to delay or cancel flights. Even lower gusts can trigger flight delays or cancellations if the runways are wet or icy, as stiff winds can reduce a plane's ability to brake on the runway.

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Certain circumstances, such as weather-related delays or air traffic control issues, may exempt airlines from providing hotel accommodations. These situations are typically considered “force majeure” or “acts of God,” and airlines are not legally obligated to provide accommodations in such cases.

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Who should not travel by air? Diseases that prevent you from boarding a plane
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • A recent stroke.
  • Infectious diseases, such as chickenpox, influenza or even COVID-19.
  • A recent surgery.
  • A pregnancy of over 28 weeks.
  • Angina (chest pain at rest)


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Circumstances that have been deemed to be not extraordinary are: Lightning Strike. Bird Strike* Technical Issues.

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Can a plane take off in a thunderstorm? Technically, it is possible, but pilots and air traffic experts prefer to keep planes on the ground when a storm is present and wait for it to calm down before setting off. Also read: Is It Safe to Fly With an Ear Infection?

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If the requirements for a compensation are met, Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 obligates the operating carrier to offer each passenger a lump-sum payment of: €250, in the case of a type 1 flight; €400, in the case of a type 2 flight; €600, in the case of a type 3 flight.

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Passengers who have experienced a disruption to their flight can claim EC 261 compensation from the airline of the specific flight. To be eligible, the flight must have departed from the EU with any airline or landed in the EU while being operated by a European airline.

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Extraordinary circumstances are, for example, bad weather, strikes — everything caused by a third party or that the airline couldn't have predicted. Disrupted flight due to extraordinary circumstances? You could still be able to get flight compensation!

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When an EU261 flight is canceled, you have the same claim for compensation as when a flight is delayed. Similar to flight delay compensation amounts, you are entitled to reimbursement when a EU261-covered flight is canceled of up to 600 euros ($645).

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